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Fence Calculator

Fence length to posts, rails, pickets and sections for wood, vinyl or chain link.

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Your fence

Fence materials

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Corners eat a post you might not count

A corner or gate post does the job of two line posts at once, so a fence with several corners needs fewer total posts than length divided by spacing would suggest — but each of those posts usually needs a bigger footing since it resists more sideways load.

Start with sections: divide total fence length by your chosen post spacing (6 to 8 ft is typical for wood, longer for vinyl and chain link) and round up, since a partial section still needs a full post. Total posts is sections plus one, since a fence has one more post than it has gaps between posts.

Rails run horizontally between posts and hold the pickets or panels; most wood fences use two rails for a 4 ft fence and three for 6 ft. Picket count for wood fencing divides the total length by each picket's width including its gap, commonly 5.5 in for a 5.5 in picket with a small reveal.

Corner, end, and gate posts carry more load than a straight run of line posts and are usually set deeper and in a larger-diameter footing — see the Fence Post Depth Calculator for sizing those footings by frost depth and wind exposure.

Where these numbers come from

These are planning estimates. Check product labels, your local building code, and a licensed contractor before you buy materials or build.

Frequently asked questions

How far apart should fence posts be?

6 to 8 ft is standard for wood privacy fencing; vinyl and chain link often allow wider spacing, up to 8 to 10 ft, since the panels themselves add rigidity that wood pickets don't.

Do corner posts count differently than line posts?

Yes. A corner absorbs sideways pull from two directions, so it's typically set in a larger footing and sometimes a larger post diameter than the line posts along a straight run.

How much should I add for gates?

A gate needs its own pair of posts sized for the gate's weight and swing, in addition to the fence-length math here. Add those separately based on your gate width and hardware.

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